28 Apr PACMAN: From a world class boxer to a warrior of God

SISA SAYS: Here is the first of a series of articles on Manny Pacquiao as we join in the countdown to the greatest fight of his life, that with Mayweather, and for Mayweather’s soul.

JUAN SAYS: Everyone is surely excited and counting the days ‘till the “fight of the century.” Finally, after waiting for 5 long years Manny Pacquiao is fighting Floyd Mayweather. Two of the world’s greatest boxers finally come together in one ring for the entire world to see.

Since Manny’s first international fight, he has managed to put his opponents and the whole world in awe, that with a killer southpaw, and a hardest knock out punch that has put many of them to sleep. Manny has become the “king of the world,” and his humble beginnings make his story even more compelling. Everybody loves the underdog. Everybody cheers for the underdog. Everybody wants to see the underdog win. And boy did he WIN!

Boxing is very much like your primetime telenovela, but the boxers are beyond being actors. They fight to win. They get paid hefty to put their lives on the line to entertain the people. And boy has Manny earned a plenty from his boxing career.

Manny practically had the whole world under his feet: women, money, power, fame. Name it, he had it. Admittedly so, the young man from General Santos was intoxicated by the luxury provided by his newfound glory.

But everything changed when Manny found the true meaning in his life. More than donning those gloves, more than wearing his billboard-like shorts, more than his learned-accent, Manny found his mission beyond boxing. He found God and made Him the center of his life and vowed to spread the Gospel. Sure it is quite unusual for someone who’s life career depended on knocking people down, is the same person who is talking about the God of life. Sure it is quite shocking for someone who has so much talk about God who provides everything that we, the lesser ones, need. But his former lifestyle, his stature hasn’t hindered Manny from pursuing his life mission. In fact, it can be said that Manny uses the blessings that he was bestowed with to further his mission.

As quoted in the Christian post, he says, “In my life, I’ve been graced to hear the word of God,” he told Yahoo Sports in Nov. “If they believe me or not, it’s up to them. I heard the voice of God. I felt like I was melting. I felt like I died. I felt I was melting when I heard the voice of God. It was the turning point in my life. God spoke to me and he told me what He wanted me to do and I had to follow. I’ve tried to live my life that way. This is my life’s work, to spread the Word.”

Who wouldn’t want to listen to Manny? Who wouldn’t see the change in his heart and in his life? Who wouldn’t understand that fame, fortune and luxury isn’t everything, when it is that person who has “been-there-done-that-bought-all-the-souvenirs” who speaks that living for the money is an empty life? Many will listen to Manny. Many will follow his footsteps. Sometimes it makes us wish that he goes further by wearing a belt that says: “To God Be The Glory” instead of all those advertisements hanging by his shorts, making his butt look like a walking billboard.

As we go on with our countdown to Manny’s victorious fight with Mayweather (Oh we CLAIM IT! WE CLAIM IT!), may we also pray for him as he skillfully punches his way to victory, not just in the boxing arena, but hopefully even in the life of Mayweather. Truly, even the guy awarded with the best knuckles in boxing, can be the guy who is suited to be the warrior of God.